bilingualism

bilingualism

The Penn State Center for Language Science is home to the first U.S. chapter of Bilingualism Matters, an international organization dedicated to sharing bilingualism research findings with the public. Bilingualism Matters@Penn State recently launched a newsletter that shares recent research findings, language learning tips and event listings.

Adding to the discussion on bilingualism in the United States, the Penn State Center for Language Science is hosting a showing of the documentary “Speaking in Tongues" from 9 to 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 4, in 127 Moore Building.

While 56 to 99 percent of people in European nations are functionally bilingual, only around 20 percent of Americans can make the same claim. Karen Miller, director of Penn State's Language Acquisition Lab, says that if we increase our commitment to language education, more of our citizens would be able to reap the benefits it provides.

Dr. Tamar Gollan, Department of Psychiatry, University of California at San Diego, will speak on "Bilingualism in Aging and Dementia: Evidence for Language-Specific Control Mechanisms," on Friday, Sept. 21 from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in 127 Moore Building on Penn State's University Park campus. Her talk is part of the Distinguished Language Science Colloquium, sponsored by the Penn State Center for Language Science. This event is free to the public.

One of the benefits students have at a major national research university like Penn State is not only learning from faculty in the classroom but also working alongside them -- in the laboratory or the library -- doing research. Undergraduate students like Christine Theberge and Josh Yeh, who are conducting their own undergraduate research, and those who hold research assistant positions have the opportunity to expand their knowledge in areas of academic interest while developing valuable research skills and relevant work experience.

The Center for Language Science at Penn State will host distinguished research professor of psychology, Ellen Bialystok, from York University in Toronto, Canada, who will speak on "Reshaping the Mind: The Benefits of Bilingualism" from 4-5:30 p.m. on Nov. 17, 2011 in the Berg Auditorium at the Life Sciences Building on Penn State's University Park campus. The lecture is free and open to the public.